Inlet fitting for an automotive air conditioner condenser

ABSTRACT

An automotive air conditioner apparatus comprising a metal refrigerant flow tube of generally oval cross section with opposite flat sides joined by opposite edges, a metal fitting having opposite ends and a fluid passage through the fitting with means on one end for receiving a flexible refrigerant conduit and an opening on the other end receiving the refrigerant flow tube thereby to connect in series the conduit, fluid passage and tube with the tube being joined to the fitting other end along a continuous joint that is at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis of the tube in order to distribute stresses tending to cause a break in the tube.

United States Patent [1 1 3,666,294 Slaasted [451 May 30, 1972 54] INLET FITTING FOR AN AUTOMOTIVE 3,453,005 7/1969 Foults ..285/32i AIR CONDITIONER CONDENSER Primary Examiner-Dave W. Arola AttorneyHofgren, Wegner, Allen, Stellman & McCord ABSTRACT An automotive air conditioner apparatus comprising a metal refrigerant flow tube of generally oval cross section with opposite flat sides joined by opposite edges, a metal fitting having opposite ends and a fluid passage through the fitting with means on one end for receiving a flexible refrigerant conduit and an opening on the other end receiving the refrigerant flow tube thereby to connect in series the conduit, fluid passage and tube with the tube being joined to the fitting other end along a continuous joint that is at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis of the tube in order to distribute stresses tending to cause a break in the tube.

4 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures INLET FITTING FOR AN AUTOMOTIVE AIR CONDITIONER CONDENSER FIELD OF THE INVENTION One of the features of this invention is to provide an automotive air conditioner comprising a metal refrigerant flow tube of generally oval cross section and a fitting for attaching the tube to a flexible conduit in which the end of the fitting receiving the tube is connected to the tube along a joint that is at an acute angle to the axis of the tube.

A specific feature of the invention is to provide such a structure in which the joint is at an acute angle to the flat sides of the tube and is substantially symmetrically arranged about the tube.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of one embodiment thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a semi-diagrammatic side elevational view of a portion of an automotive air conditioning system embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a detailed plan view of a metal fitting and a metal tube of a condenser forming a part of the automotive air conditioner.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the assembly of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially along line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a plan view similar to FIG. 2 but illustrating the prior art structure.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the embodiment disclosed in the drawings there is an automotive air conditioning system including a condenser mounted in the customary manner on the frame 11 of the chassis of an automotive vehicle. The system also includes a compressor 12 connected by a flexible refrigerant conduit 13 which may be a reinforced rubber hose to the top of the condenser 12 by means of a metal fitting 14.

As is disclosed in the detailed assembly of FIGS. 2-4 the fitting 14 is in the form of a hexagonal tube having an internal longitudinal bore 15 through which refrigerant is conducted. One end 16 of the fitting 14 is shaped to receive and retain the corresponding end of the hose 13 from the compressor 12 while the other end 17 of the fitting 14 contains a flat oval shaped opening 18 for receiving one end of the refrigerant flow tube 19 that joins the tubular conduit of the condenser 10.

As is shown in FIG. 4 this tube 19 is of generally oval cross section about its longitudinal axis 20 and has opposite flat sides 21 joined by opposite edges 22. In the particular illustrated embodiment of the tube 19 there are three internal passages provided by two spaced internal fins 23.

As can be seen from the above description, the conduit 13 which preferably is a reinforced rubber hose, the fluid passage 15 in the fitting l4 and the tube 19 are arranged in series for series flow of refrigerant fluid therethrough.

Means are provided joining the tube 19 to the fitting 14 at the other end 17 thereof opposite the one end 16 with this joining means including a continuous joint 24 that is at an acute angle to the axis 20 of the tube. In the preferred embodiment the joint 24 is at an acute angle to the flat sides 21 of the tube 19, as illustrated most clearly in FIGS. 2 and 3.

In an especially preferred embodiment, as illustrated in the drawings, the joint 24 lies along two angularly arranged planes that describe the acute angle and with the apex 25 of the angle intersecting the opposite flat sides 21 of the tube in locations intermediate or between the tube edges 23 as illustrated most clearly in FIG. 2. In the illustrated embodiment this apex 25 substantially bisects the opposite flat sides 21 and is substantially normal to these sides.

The structure of this invention successfully avoids the breakage problems that were encountered with the tube and fitting constructions used heretofore as illustrated in FIG. 5. In

this old form where the tube 26 was at right angles to the end 27 of the fitting receiving the tube breakage occurred with greater frequency in the tube 26 in areas adjacent to the end 27 because the stresses of vibration of the tube 26 appear to be concentrated at the tube edges 28. With the structure of this invention the stresses instead of being concentrated as in FIG. 5 are dissipated away from the fitting end 17 so that the life of the tube 19 is very much greater than that heretofore thought possible.

Having described my invention as related to the embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings, it is my intention that the invention be not limited by any of the details of description, unless otherwise specified, but rather be construed broadly within its spirit and scope as set out in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Automotive air conditioner condenser apparatus, comprising: a metal refrigerant flow tube having a generally oval cross section about a longitudinal axis with opposite flat sides joined by opposite edges; a fitting having opposite ends, a fluid passage through the fitting with means on one said end for receiving a flexible refrigerant conduit and an opening on the other end receiving said tube, thereby connecting in series said conduit, fluid passage and tube, said tube having a substantially constant cross sectional area adjacent to said fitting and a width between said opposite tube edges that is less than the width of said fitting in the region of said tube; and means joining said tube to said fitting other end including a continuous joint that is at an acute angle to said axis.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said joint is at an acute angle to said flat sides.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said joint substantially lies along two angularly arranged planes describing said angle, the apex of the angle intersecting said opposite flat sides in locations intermediate said tube edges.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said apex substantially bisects said sides and is substantially normal to said sides. 

1. Automotive air conditioner condenser apparatus, comprising: a metal refrigerant flow tube having a generally oval cross section about a longitudinal axis with opposite flat sides joined by opposite edges; a fitting having opposite ends, a fluid passage through the fitting with means on one said end for receiving a flexible refrigerant conduit and an opening on the other end receiving said tube, thereby connecting in series said conduit, fluid passage and tube, said tube having a substantially constant cross sectional area adjacent to said fitting and a width between said opposite tube edges that is less than the width of said fitting in the region of said tube; and means joining said tube to said fitting other end including a continuous joint that is at an acute angle to said axis.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said joint is at an acute angle to said flat sides.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said joint substantially lies along two angularly arranged planes describing said angle, the apex of the angle intersecting said opposite flat sides in locations intermediate said tube edges.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said apex substantially bisects said sides and is substantially normal to said sides. 